Abstract
Summary The Groupamatic equipments print out for each blood sample, the corresponding I.D. number and a set of blood grouping results. The three problems which the Montpellier Blood Transfusion Center has been confronted with for the integration of Groupamatic, are : -- the sorting out of blood grouping results on a format immediately readable by the mass computer ; -- the positive identification between the blood sample I.D. number and the donor identity in order to avoid any manual retranscription ; -- the minimization of modifications on the management system computer controlled routinely used prior to the Groupamatic introduction, and associated to an IBM 3/15 Computer. Regarding the first point and having considered the different alternatives (punch cards, punch tapes, on line connection, magnetic tape), the floppy disc has been selected ; such a data support is quickly written and read, reliable, gives the opportunity of easy corrections, its capacity is quite large, and is cheaper than an on line connection which would be used only a few minutes a day. Besides the electromechanical unit the electronical unit and the teletype, our configuration is made of a PDP 11 Computer with its input/out put units : two card readers, a printer and two floppy discs. Solution of above-mentioned second point has been facilitated as soon as the floppy disconcept was selected ; the floppy allows long enough data records with on top of the blood sample I.D. number, additional information including the donor identity. To get such a record with the I.D. number one has simply to read on one side the Groupamatic card where blood sample I.D. number is punched on, and, on the other side, the donor identity punch card, card reading being performed through a punch car reader on line interconnected with Groupamatic. The donor identity card is punched by the IBM 3/15 computer controlled system from a magnetic disc file ; the donor identity has been only written once at the time of the first blood collection. Our computer controlled system already made use of punch cards, transported in the mobile units, where all information whatever it is, permanent or relative to previous blood collection is stored. Without Groupamatic, the information related to the new blood collection was manually punched on donor cards, then transmitted to the IBM 3/15 computer for data storage on discs and for processing. With Groupamatic, the data registered on the cards as well as the blood grouping results are written on floppy discs which, after read out, are transmitted to the IBM 3/15 central computer which still works the same way as defined in the previous situation. Very few modifications were therefore necessary to perform this adaptation. Furthermore, such a use of a floppy disc on line connected with the Groupamatic has a large advantage data corresponding to the previous blood collection registered on donor card are transferred to the floppy disc which allows at the Groupamatic level an automatic comparison between blood grouping information pertinent to previous and present blood collection and, therefore, in case of discrepancy an immediate warning. When the result concords, the second run is reserved for new donors and discrepancy results, thus about 20 % of the donors only are concerned, allowing important reagent and time savings.
Published Version
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